Timeskip

A timeskip is a narrative device that is commonly used in the telling of epics or sagas. It allows the storyteller to quickly age characters or develop events without getting bogged down in irrelevant or uninteresting details. Though time is commonly fast-forwarded in small amounts, timeskips usually refer to periods of several years or decades, wherein a pronounced change can be measured against the same characters, such as a child becoming an adult.

Examples of timeskips

*"Dragon Ball Z": Gohan is portrayed as a child early on, but after a timeskip he becomes an adult and father.
*"The Transformers (TV series)": Prior to "", Spike is portrayed as an adolescent. The movie introduces a timeskip, and Spike is now a full adult. In the intervening years, the Autobots have established large bases on Earth as well as normalized communication with Cybertron.
*"Fable (video game)": When the game starts, the player character is a small child. After the introductory gameplay sequence, a timeskip occurs and the player character is now a young adult.
*"Mechwarrior 4": In the original game, the player character (Ian Dresari) is a noble fighting for control of the planet Kentares IV. The expansion pack takes place an indeterminate number of years later, with Ian now the corrupt ruler of the planet, and the player in control of a mercenary squad that assists the local independence movement.